Tag Archives: Pope

As the prior post for Lluis Martinez Sistach retirement as the Archbishop of Barcelona highlighted, Cardinals (and for that matter Archbishops) are supposed to start their retirement process on their 75th birthday.

By Canon Law, #401 §1 all archbishops have to tender their resignations to the pope, in writing, when they turn 75. When the pope actually accepts the resignation, of course, is up to the pope. Sometimes it is ‘immediate’ and at others, like with these two, it can be a couple (to a few) years later. This is perfectly normal.

But there are exceptions. Here is the current list of ‘Retirement Pending’ cardinals — the key ones highlighted.

By Canon Law, #401 §1 all archbishops have to tender their resignations to the pope, in writing, when they turn 75. When the pope actually accepts the resignation, of course, is up to the pope. Sometimes it is ‘immediate’ and at others, like with these two, it can be a couple (to a few) years later. This is perfectly normal.

By Canon Law, #401 §1 all archbishops have to tender their resignations to the pope, in writing, when they turn 75. When the pope actually accepts the resignation, of course, is up to the pope. Sometimes it is ‘immediate’ and at others, like with these two, it can be a couple (to a few) years later. This is perfectly normal.

His greatest (and deserved) claim to fame, faithful, ever present private secretary to Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli (later Pope John XXIII) from 1958 to the pope’s death in 1963 (and he was at the bedside).

Here seen walking behind the pope, in 1958, at the Vatican, early into the papacy. His appointment as secretary was one of the new pope’s first acts.

Cardinal Capovilla has a commanding lead as the oldest living cardinal as clearly illustrated in my new Excel spreadsheet for the College. Click to ENLARGE.

As far as we know, based on current documentation, the OLDEST cardinal was Portuguese Dom Jorge da Costa [1406 to Sept. 18, 1508]. He is said to have been 102 when he died though this exact birthdate is not known! He, once the Archbishop of Lisbon (and then of Braga), was created in 1476 — when he would have been 70.

We have had a cardinal who lived to be 101 in recent times. He was Italian, Corrado Bafile (4 July 1903 – 3 February 2005). Unlike with da Costa we know his exact birthdate.

So he was 101 years, 6 months and 4 weeks old when he died. So Cardinal Capovilla needs to live for another 1.5 years to catch up with him.

Did a lot of research for this book and that, as with some of my other pope books (e.g., Popes and the Tale of their Names), is what sets it apart. Lots of information that is not common knowledge. I enjoy the research! This book, like so many of my others, was basically an excuse for me to do the research. I don’t see a point of doing research if you don’t share it with folks.

This, in the end, proved to be a long book. 170 pages, 7″ x 10″, in paperback form and 213 pages as an eBook.